Towards a Visual Theatre: Adolphe Appia and the Theory of the “Living” Space Cover Image

Towards a Visual Theatre: Adolphe Appia and the Theory of the “Living” Space
Towards a Visual Theatre: Adolphe Appia and the Theory of the “Living” Space

Author(s): Alexandra Ioana Cantemir
Subject(s): Theatre, Dance, Performing Arts
Published by: Editura ARTES
Keywords: Appia; directing system; “living” space

Summary/Abstract: Adolphe Appia, Swiss director, set designer and theoretician, is one of the first theatrical creators who put an emphasis on the expressive force of stage image and the first theoretician of the aesthetic relation between the actor’s body and the space of the stage. Through his rethinking of the rapports of the elements that participate in the stage directing process (be it the case of either a drama performance or an opera one), Appia turns out to be the advocate of a mainly visual type of show, in which the actor’s body, subordinated to music and conquering the space around him through the opposition of his mobility to the stillness of the latter, carries out to the spectator the essential ideas of the dramatic show. Therefore, the director thinks of the actor’s “living”, suggestive body as the main pillar of the show, which coordinates all the other elements of the staging. In order to help this body express ideas, and not signify them, Appia holds forth a drastic change in set designing, a rethinking of the space of the stage. Beginning with Appia, visuality and corporeality shall become basic principles of theatre, and the text a mere pretext for staging.

  • Issue Year: 2014
  • Issue No: 17
  • Page Range: 189 - 196
  • Page Count: 8
  • Language: English